Donald Trump Takes A Hit In Debate

Posted by Political Quarterback17pc on September 17, 2015

A group of neutral observers almost unanimously agreed Thursday night that Donald Trump fared poorly in the second Republican presidential debate. The big winners in the eleven-candidate extravaganza, most felt, were Carly Fiorina and Chris Christie.

Most in the group also gave high marks to Marco Rubio, for his grasp of foreign policy.

Several, however, noted that Trump thus far has not been hurt in polls by bad performances and cautioned against “instant analysis” of the CNN-sponsored show-down at the Reagan Presidential Library.

My group included pundits, an historian, a pollster, and political consultants.

Almost all in the group cited moderator Jake Tapper’s questions about the tycoon hopeful’s cutting comment on her looks and Fiorina’s withering reply: “ I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said."

“Carly resonated on woman’s issues and her interchange with Trump concerning his unsavory comments was a homerun,” GOP political consultant Ford O’Connell told me soon after the debate’s conclusion, “Her knowledge of foreign policy given that she is an outsider really turned some heads.”

Next to Fiorina, the candidates the group felt gained the most from the debate was Christie.

“He made the American people the focus and not the candidates,” O’Connell agreed, “When he interrupted the Trump/Fiorina squabble on their personal successes — Christie was right to steer the focus to the struggling middle class. That said, given his low standing in the polls, I am not sure it will change his sagging fortunes. Christie is probably slapping himself for not running in 2012.”